Saturday, December 5, 2009

How fortunate we all were last night as it was certainly absolutely unforgettable benchmark for our Classical Underground. The intimacy of live music-making between Boris Andrianov, Liza Andrianov, Roberto Cani, Yana Reznik …you simply had to be there to know, as it was purely experiential.

Boris Andrianov proves once again – “Classical” can rock you and shake you to the depths of your foundation…that’s what the real ART does and ART can only be HIGH. - Alexey

Was amazing! Thank you for bringing together such great talents. I adore music and have not seen a live performance in a while, what a rush of sensations.See you next time. - AnahitaA TOTALLY AWESOME CU ALEXEY !!! MANY, MANY, MANY THANKS ALWAYS ...!- KirkIndeed an incredible performance...!!! A concert to be remembered!!! - Ignat

That was the most amazing night... - Christina

Dear Alexey and Olga,The evening with Boris Andrianov and Friends was spectacular. He is an astonishing virtuoso, and everyone played impeccably. The Shostakovich trio was heartbreaking—a reminder of a terrible time for his (and your) country.

Thank you for all you do to keep the true spirit of music and art alive in LA. Affectionately, - Judith

For more photographs from the event please go to Picasa - courtesy of Michael Herf and Alexey Steele.

We just came from the most incredible painting excursion alone with our east coast compadres to San Miguel de Allende and we decided to share with you some of the material we brought back. It was a remarkable trip of artistic camaraderie and inspiration, excitement and all-out nutty fun, of discoveries and stimulating exchanges - all fueling our very own joint cultural insurgency in the name of ART.

Ignat Ignatov, Street Corner 12" X 9"

Jeremy Lipking "Doll seller" 8" X 6" oil

Alexey Steele "Shoeshiner. San Miguel Jay" 65" X 26"

It was an extraordinary trip... It was absolutely enormous experience...it shook me to the ground depths... What true to the core, solid and grounded characters...still somehow untouched by the all-avergizing militant consumerism of "empty can" worshipers... I saw enormous in their raw, authentic strength and unpolished beauty themes and images...

Everything that ART as TRUTH is all about - lays bare right there...south of our border...

Mexico...what a mythic land of so real people and so true characters...humble without subservience, proud without arrogance...how much we've lost in a name of "consumer"

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- Thanks to music, a teen with severe disabilities discovered an extraordinary talent. And with it, what could have been a very limited life has enlightened thousands.

Cathleen Lewis was told her son might never walk or talk. Rex was born blind and mentally impaired 14 years ago. He developed autistic symptoms. But at age 2, he was given a piano.

Rex cannot read music. He can play exactly what he hears. He is one of the world's very few musical savants. Rex learned all of "Rhapsody in Blue" in five hours. He has music teachers and hours of practice, and his technique, his improvisation, are growing more sophisticated every day.

Rex performed at Classical Underground earlier this month, a progressive venue. He and his mother travel frequently for his performances. She speaks, delivering a message of inspiration.

"Rex is my greatest teacher. He's taught me to stop just chasing after 'things,'" said Cathleen.

Cathleen walked away from a career in finance and now teaches visually impaired children when she and Rex aren't on the road.

"He gets such joy when he plays for people. You should see his face. It's like plugging him into an electrical socket. He lights up like he's been given a shot of adrenaline," said Cathleen.

And while audiences are clearly moved by this boy whose world revolves around music, Cathleen has written a book describing her life with Rex and the music that transformed them.

"There's no giving up, I'm on a fascinating ride. It's not just not giving up. It's 'enjoy the ride,'" said Cathleen.

Rex doesn't carry on a conversation, but he has opinions. When asked whose music he likes best, he answers, "Mine."

He goes to public high school where he receives special education. And just recently, a breakthrough.

"Out of the blue, last year, he had his hand on a page of Braille, and all of a sudden, he was reading Braille. Six years later," said Cathleen.

With his heightened sensitivity, Rex couldn't touch Braille, until now. And he is broadening his musical abilities by learning how to sing.

Music opened Rex's curiosity about the world. There is no telling where it might take him.

Mission Statement

We feel THAT what is missing the most in today’s world. In great debate weather ART has a future in a commercialized world of ours, we say ART is the Future.

It has to be ART, though true and pure, to make it through. Gone is the tiring age of fake, pump and pretense. Gone are the murky waters. All else stripped – ART stands in all its naked Relevance.

We believe in ART. Not as just another way of making a living, but as the very Way of Life.

We are the Underground and we stand in a subversive opposition to all and every accepted tacitly way the commercially driven society treats ART. We consider ART being a form of ultimate subversion in a greed-glorifying world and we argue a singular importance of ART outside commercialism and corrupt institutionalism within the society in crisis.

ART shall bring back what bankers had stolen from the society – the common purpose being anything else other than militant, blatant greed.

We are Classical and we stand on the shoulders of combined labor and sacrifice of cultural giants humanity managed to produce despite all its shortfalls and who were able to surpass all constraints of time and fads of the moment. The essence of their timeless creations, which is pure and true ART, stands as final testimony to in-suppressible powers of human spirit bearing extreme relevance to our time.

We stand in firm belief in fresh vitality and visceral strength of Classical, Humanistic in nature, content, philosophy and worldview for our truly modern audiences and viewers.

We are there to support and to amplify the voice of anyone across disciplines who we think is instrumental in this process.

With the Clarity of Intent we will find new ways ART can sustain itself and expand in these troubled times as Artists - some of true Heroes of Society - shall be able to enjoy the fruits of their intense, hard labor and sacrifice which is a pure Labor of Love. To that end we all work and contribute in a collaborative spirit in name of ART and Friendship. We will do everything to share ART and spread the word, as ART is the ever-flaming torch in a society facing Storm.